4-H Countywide 2023 Spring Equine Clinic

By Lenora Boninfante

The Cape May County 4-H Spring Equine Health Clinic will bring life-saving vaccines to horses of Cape May County on Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14, 2023. The Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program is partnering with Dr. Tanja Hanyi to offer the equine clinic at discounted vaccine prices for all horse and pony owners in Cape May County.

Veterinarians and clinic volunteers will travel to farms and boarding stables, in the northern part of the county on April 13 and in the southern portion of the county on April 14, offering vaccinations at reduced prices to horses and without the normal farm call fee.

The Cape May County 4-H Equine Health Clinic started over 50 years ago with two goals. One was to inoculate as many horses as possible against deadly equine diseases. The second goal was to offer these vaccinations at as low a cost as possible to the horse owners of Cape May County. These two goals remain the same today.

The clinic is coordinated under the direction of 4-H volunteer Nancy Rothenbiller, who advises all horse owners to keep their animals properly vaccinated against deadly infectious diseases, such as Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis and West Nile Virus. These diseases spread quickly by biting insects but can be prevented through proper annual vaccination.

There are several different vaccines and vaccine packages offered to suit your horses’ needs. The clinic also offers the Coggins blood test. A negative Coggins test for Equine Infectious Anemia is required annually by the NJ 4-H Horse Program and at most equine events throughout New Jersey and the nation.

Participants must preregister! Clinic registration packets are available on the 4-H website, http://capemay.njaes.rutgers.edu/. The deadline for registration is Friday, April 7, 2023.

If you have any questions about the clinic, please call Nancy Rothenbiller at (609) 827-3485 between 3:30 and 8 p.m. only.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

For additional information about the Cape May County 4-H Youth Development program, please call (609) 465-5115, ext. 3605, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit us at http://capemay.njse.rutgers.edu/.